אויף דער שטעג On The Way
Talmud Bavli « masekhet Berakhot « 29b-30a
That is how the Travelers' Prayer appears in the Gemara. The exact text we say today differs from the Gemara's text, as well as among the different ancestral traditions.
One of the more salient differences is that at least some Ashkenazic versions of Tefilat Haderekh ask God not only to save us from אויב ואורב, enemy and ambush, but also from ליסטים וחיות רעות, bandits and evil beasts — ומכל מיני פורעניות המתרגשות לבוא לעולם, and from all types of tragedies that suddenly happen in the world.
At least according to Prof. Alick Isaacs of Hebrew University (i never got a chance to ask him for sources on this claim), in medieval Ashkenaz, the term חיות רעות did not mean simply 'evil beasts' or 'wild animals', but something in particular. Werewolves.
Although I am fairly rationalistic, and don't believe in werewolves or other monsters, I really like the idea of mentioning them in Tefilat Haderekh. I see it as asking God to protect me/us from ALL dangers — natural and supernatural, real and imaginary. It's asking God to save us from our own nightmares, our own fears, and our own overactive imaginations wondering what lurks out beyond the campfire. Whatever it is, God can keep us safe from it.
And Ribbí Ya‘aqov said, Rav Hhisda said:
Anyone who sets out on the way must pray Tefilat Haderekh.
What is Tefilat Haderekh?יהי רצון מלפניך ה' אלהי
שתוליכני לשלום
ותצעידני לשלום
ותסמכני לשלום
ותצילני מכף
כל אויב ואורב בדרך
ותשלח ברכה במעשי ידי
ותתנני לחן ולחסד ולרחמים בעיניך
ובעיני כל רואי
בא"י שומע תפילה
May it be your will, YHVH my god,
that you walk me to peace,
and pace me to peace,
and support me to peace;
and save me from the hand of
any enemy and ambush on the way;
and send a blessing in my handiwork;
and place me for grace, kindness and compassion in your eyes
and the eyes of all who see me.
Blessed are you, YHVH, who listens to prayer.
Abayey said, one must always associate themself together with the community.
How would we say it then?יהי רצון מלפניך ה' אלהינו
שתוליכנו לשלום, וכו׳
May it be your will, YHVH our god,
that you walk us to peace, etc.
That is how the Travelers' Prayer appears in the Gemara. The exact text we say today differs from the Gemara's text, as well as among the different ancestral traditions.
One of the more salient differences is that at least some Ashkenazic versions of Tefilat Haderekh ask God not only to save us from אויב ואורב, enemy and ambush, but also from ליסטים וחיות רעות, bandits and evil beasts — ומכל מיני פורעניות המתרגשות לבוא לעולם, and from all types of tragedies that suddenly happen in the world.
At least according to Prof. Alick Isaacs of Hebrew University (i never got a chance to ask him for sources on this claim), in medieval Ashkenaz, the term חיות רעות did not mean simply 'evil beasts' or 'wild animals', but something in particular. Werewolves.
Although I am fairly rationalistic, and don't believe in werewolves or other monsters, I really like the idea of mentioning them in Tefilat Haderekh. I see it as asking God to protect me/us from ALL dangers — natural and supernatural, real and imaginary. It's asking God to save us from our own nightmares, our own fears, and our own overactive imaginations wondering what lurks out beyond the campfire. Whatever it is, God can keep us safe from it.
carved on the walls of the caverns by Steg (dos iz nit der šteg) at 12/24/2006 05:16:00 PM
14 Comments:
Although I am fairly rationalistic, and don't believe in werewolves or other monsters, I really like the idea of mentioning them in Tefilat Haderekh
Agreed. That is cool.
Too bad the tefilat haderekh didn't work for our trip to JitW...
shkoiyach!
(does it work for vampires too?)
Jack:
i'm glad we're in agreement, then!
Knitter:
sure it did — you didn't get mauled by a werewolf, did you?
Jen:
i think they're subsumed within the category of "all tragedies that happen in the world" :-)
Um, if the prayer is referring to werewolves, than they probably considered them real. If they didn't consider werewolves real, than the professor's theory is probably wrong.
Are those who believe in werewolves today subsumed within the category of "all tragedies that happen in the world"?
(But not that we'd have to pray against them.)
Beisrunner:
they did consider werewolves real; most people today, however, would probably not worry about the possibility of a dangerous werewolf encounter when driving from New York to Chicago.
Lipman:
only if they think you're a werewolf (and they're reaching for their silver bullets)
No, but I think we were all almost attacked by a stegosaurus. Watch out, he's behind you!!
today, however, would probably not worry about the possibility of a dangerous werewolf encounter when driving from New York to Chicago.
Of course; we all know werewolves today are found in London.
Elie:
I think you meant LONDON. :-)
I believe there's some medrash about Binyamin being a werewolf...
Ezzie:
Really? that would be so cool... do you remember if it's connected to Ya‘aqov's blessing to Binyamin?
I thought Esav was the werewolf.
And Esav howls at Yishaq to this very day.
Well, yes. That's part of the point...!
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